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First Look: Hope Releases Three New Clipless Pedals

Aug 3, 2021
by Seb Stott  
photo


Previously, Hope didn't offer a clipless pedal, but now they have three. Their brand new Union clipless pedals cover all intended uses from XC, trail and DH/enduro. Unlike some clipless pedals which are cross-compatible with Shimano cleats, Hope use their own cleat design and their pedals aren't compatible with anyone else's cleats.

Interestingly, the pedals ship with two sets of cleats, which allow you to choose between 4° or 5° of float, and 12° or 13° release angle, respectively. Both cleats also allow 2mm of side-to-side float. The front part of the clip mechanism isn't rigidly fixed to the pedal body, but can move up as the cleat pushes into the slot. According to Hope, this reduces the force required to clip-in and allows a wider range of cleat/foot angles to engage. That could be handy when trying to clip back in on bumpy ground.
Hope Union Details
• Three models for XC, Trail and Gravity
• Claimed weight: 324g, 437g & 498g, respectively
• Dual clip mechanism - both front and rear clip parts move to ease cleat entry
• Proprietary cleats (not cross-compatible with other systems)
• Two cleat options giving 4° or 5° of float
• Cr-Mo axle (RC has Titanium axle), machined pedal body, stainless steel clip mechanism and cleats
• Three cartridge bearings plus Norglide bush, same parts as F20 flat pedal ,m
• Fully serviceable internals
• $190-$200 / £150-£160 / €185-€195
• hopetech.com
Here's how Hope describe the intended use of the three Union pedals:

• Union RC – Race Clip, small platform designed for decreased weight; 324g; £150/€185/$190

• Union TC – Trail Clip, larger platform with 4 pins per side for increased contact with the shoe sole and greater stability for more aggressive riding; 437g; £150/€185/$190

• Union GC – Gravity Clip, large platform with option of 7 pins per side or foot plates to give maximum contact between the shoe and pedal, providing the greatest stability; 498g; £160/€195/$200

photo
Union RC (Race Clip)
photo
Union TC (Trail Clip)

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Union GC – Gravity Clip
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Stainless steel cleats offering 4° or 5° float

The engagement mechanism is forward-entry only and has adjustable release tension. Hope promises a "positive and consistent" release feel, and the 5° cleat has a firmer release.

The GC pedal has a large platform with a similar shape to the Shimano Saint pedal , although the Hope GC has more pins (7 per side vs. 4).

Being Hope, they're available in six different colours: black, blue, orange, purple, red and silver. The internals are shared with Hope's F20 flat pedal, meaning three cartridge bearings and a Norglide bushing, and they should be easy enough to take apart and service. The lightweight RC pedal uses a titanium axle, while the TC and GC use a Cro-Mo steel axle, but these can be upgraded to titanium aftermarket.

All three Union pedals are now available for retailers to order, with first deliveries scheduled for September.

Update:


After a few people asked why Hope felt the need to make their own proprietary cleats - rather than using out-of-patent and common Shimano SPD cleats - I asked Hope to comment and got this response:

bigquotesWe didn’t set out to develop a new system but it naturally developed this way. We have made flat pedals for a number of years but the majority of us at the factory ride clips so it seemed a shame we couldn’t use our own pedals, basically we wanted to stick a clip mechanism on an F20. When we looked at our options the only existing system available to us would be based on a Shimano SPD, however this system doesn’t work too well when used with a big platform, it needs clearance meaning most of the platform would be wasted [Mike Kazimer noted this in his Saint pedal review - Seb]. We made some prototypes of our own mechanism which solved some of the issues and it worked pretty well first time so that gave us confidence to develop it further and see where it took us.—Sam Gibbs, Hope Union pedal designer




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Reviews and Tech First Looks Pedals Hope Hope Union


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174 Comments
  • 1477
 Man I really have a soft spot for Hope but proprietary cleats?
I have 4 (operational) bikes, 3 pairs of shoes, all SPD-compatible. If I'd want to move to these either buy 4 pairs of pedals or limit one pair of shoes to one bike.
That's not going to happen.
  • 752
 THIS and the price, shimano SPD's are cheap as chips AND last nearly for ever!
  • 4414
 But is the Shimano cleat the best solution? It's decades old now and there must be room for improvement. No one likes a new standard but they generally lead to better products.

I personally ran SPD's for a long time before moving to Mallet's, both systems have benefits but I don't think either are perfect.
  • 210
 This is my feeling as well. I like Hope stuff. But Hope and proprietary gives me jitters... As it would anyone who invested in their cassette + freehub, only to be left high and dry when they pulled support for it!
  • 452
 They might HOPE I've got no TIME.
  • 32
 @danstonQ: Nice one!
  • 119
 @DC1988: the presta valve is far from the best solution (hello schrader), but we’re stuck with it too right now.
  • 11
 @Afterschoolsports:
But presta was purely because of those skinny rims we ran for so long, I don't know if a schrader valve does significantly weaken the rim in comparison
  • 120
 @DC1988: it does not. Until I went tubeless, I drilled every rim out to schrader if it wasn’t already. Of all the rims I trashed, none could remotely be attributed to a larger valve opening. Most were from casing drops/jumps or trying to barge through technical sections off line. I also weigh about 240lb.
  • 130
 @Afterschoolsports: I've drilled out all my rims for schrader with no issues. You just use motorbike tubeless valves and you're good. Schrdader are just much better.
  • 21
 @fartymarty: ooh. You legend! Thank you. I’ve been wondering if that would be alright but never bothered to try. I have some older wheels drilled to schrader that I will try it out with when I get home to Australia. Literally the only issue I’ve had with wheels and tyres over the last few years has been broken presta valves on the trail.
  • 22
 @DC1988: shimano need to offer more float then its a winner til then im on HT
  • 53
 @stubestrong:
My issue with Shimano isn't the float, it's that I sometimes unclip even at high tension. I like that with Mallet's I never unclip when I don't want to and that clipping in is still really easy.
  • 41
 @fartymarty:

Same, or threaded-neck Schrader stems from Conti or Schwalbe tubes.
  • 80
 @stubestrong:

Sometimes a lot of float can feel like you are stood on an ice cube. I had some ritchey pedals that were horrible for that
  • 35
 At least you know that Hope will continue to support their proprietary system for years to come. Unlike some companies that seem to drop their designs after a year or two and spares are no longer available.

Still, shame they’re not SPD compatible
  • 21
 @DC1988: That's where the extra float would help...
  • 12
 Preach. I really wish Shimano would release a trail pedal that has spikes like the Saints do. Platform with no spikes makes no sense, Saint pedals on a around town trail bike makes no sense too. I wouldn't even have clicked on this article if they made that.
  • 11
 @piratetrails: I agree. I have the xt trail and the platform is nice but extra grip on it would be even nicer. I went back to dx and will soon try the saints on my around town trail bike hahaha.
  • 11
 @DC1988: Boost cleats coming in hot!
  • 61
 I don’t see the inconvenience! If you use Shimano and you decide to change to cb or Time you’ll need to buy new cleats anyway.
  • 11
 I Hope they work!
  • 21
 @danstonQ: "LOOK, They might HOPE You've got no TIME."

You blew it
  • 11
 The TCs could be a good replacement for my HT T1s which I really like even though bearing reliability is on the lower end. The extra $60 for the Hopes could be a tough sell but if they're pretty bulletproof....
  • 21
 They sure do resemble Shimano cleats, though
  • 31
 @nojzilla: still have my 747..... done miles and miles (now less), since 1995
  • 31
 @DC1988: why shimano is hands down? Can find anywhere, last longer than CB, Time, don't cost anything and brings normally a new fresh pair pf pedals........oh sorry... cleats are 10euros, but for 10more you have new pedals
  • 21
 @DC1988: Imagine a 28mm rim with a 6mm valve vs a 30mm rim with an 8mm valve.

It’s probably not a linear comparison like that, but the results should be the same. No significant difference.
  • 11
 @DC1988: Is that because of the pins on the mallets? Shimano has way higher tension possible than CB.
  • 23
 @MaplePanda:
I think the cleat on CB means you can't ever pull your foot out upwards, you have to twist it. With SPD you can pull your foot out upwards, it's not meant to happen and it doesn't often happen but when you accidentally unclip mid air it's not cool! With SPD's to try and stop this I'd have to tighten them so much that they would be difficult to clip back into. My ideal pedal would be a Mallet DH with Shimano internals.
  • 21
 @DC1988: the thing with cb design is that rock strikes on the bottom of the pedal cause the cleat mechanism to open and your foot comes off the pedal.
  • 20
 @likeittacky: LOOK, don’t turn my CRANK BROTHER, or get FROGgy if you can’t take a HT. I don’t have Time for your HOPE at the SPEED i PLAY.,
  • 20
 @mgrantorser: Lmao Nice one! Now put a beat to it and throw in some F/N-words; you got yourself a Rap song for the next Frenchie / Czech MTB video.
  • 11
 I thought the same thing. These would likely do well if they used an SPD cleat, with a proprietary one I don't see them lasting unless there's some huge benefit other than not paying licensing fees.
  • 10
 @stubestrong: try the 8 degree float option from Nukeproof!
  • 20
 @CustardCountry: Their support for product isn't what not once was. Their proprietary freehub/cassette isn't old and is now consigned to the bin.
  • 521
 Can you ask them for a comment on why they feel they need a new cleat design please Pinkbike?
I'd ring up and ask myself (and they'd probably tell me, they are really nice), but you could let everyone know.
  • 240
 I've asked them now, but I think the main reason is to get the two float options and different engagement/disengagement feel. Will update when I get an answer.
  • 390
 That's updated for you now. Turns out it's more to do with making the system work well with a bigger platform. The clearance requirements of the SPD cleats mean much of the platform isn't directly in contact with the shoe. Kazimer actually reported on this in his Saint pedal review here: www.pinkbike.com/photo/16389271
  • 21
 @seb-stott: could you not just go with the other very popular standard and pay to use the crank brothers cleat design?
  • 90
 @Yuley95: CB cleats are still patented, I believe, so presumably they would not want to license them out without a hefty fee.
  • 140
 @seb-stott: Cheers Seb, appreciate the snappy service Smile
  • 195
 It's all clear. If you want to improve function you cannot stick to an old design! I do not understand all the complainers. You don't have to buy them! You don't have to buy Crankbrothers if you're used to Shimano...

I'd buy them for another reason - they call them "Clip Pedals". Hopefully the stupid "Clipless" will vanish Wink "Cleat pedals" would do as well.
  • 30
 @yoobee: They might have been called "cleat pedals" right from the start, but for the fact that the thing they were replacing (toe clips and cages) were also used with cleated shoes. The old shoes had a cleat that was basically just a block with a slot it it, and the rear edge of the pedal fit in the slot.
  • 10
 @yoobee: if you want to survive, you need to sell
  • 30
 @seb-stott: Who would want to use the CB cleats? That's the weakest part of the whole CB system. I'm considering these just to get away from the CB cleats. Mine wear out in less than a month and I'm tired of $30 / month in crappy brass cleats.
  • 10
 If you’re going to be beholden to a design, one that is protected and relies on licensing isn’t always the smartest business choice. Disagreements between parties can lead to ugly outcomes for consumers.
  • 20
 @seb-stott: thanks for the update. After riding good quality flat pedals for quite a few years now, I have a hard time going back to clipless pedals because the platform doesn’t feel like a platform and you only end up really feeling the cleat connection. And I’ve been trying every version of platform clipless going back to the Time Z. The original clipless pedals were never designed with a platform in mind, all XC focused. Maybe it’s is time for a new cleat design.
  • 341
 Everyone moaning about proprietry cleats, i get it i have 4 bikes with SPD and 2 sets of shoes so never going to invest in such a big change but at the same time if they went with SPD why would i pay a significant premium over shimano pedals (which are bulletproof btw) for somthing that works exactly the same.
Look at Crank brothers compared to other companies who use the SPD system, i can tell you i see alot more CB pedals than non shimano SPD pedals and thats because they offer somthing different which alot of people prefer, if Hope have created an improved system that people prefer and with thier usual durabilty then it could be a real alternative for those who dont like SPD and don't like rebuilding crank brothers pedals every ride (just like the market HT / Time currently have)
  • 60
 This is an excellent point.
  • 20
 Nail on head.
  • 30
 you got it.
  • 30
 shoes eventually wear out though - so if you had to buy 1 more set of shoes today, your existing shoes would last 50% longer each, with no actual cost increase in the long term. Same as N+1. Man maths.
  • 20
 yeah I think there is quite a bit of over emphasis on the compatibility in these comments... how many people have multiple clip pedal mtbs for which they would buy expensive pedals for? I have a road bike and even if I'd also get a gravel bike I wouldn't use the same shoes, even though I've got SPDs on the road bike. And those are "SPD compatible" ritchey cleats which don't work that well with shimano pedals to be frank...
  • 10
 I have Time Pedals, their not SPD
  • 409
 Proprietary cleats? No thanks, I'll stick with gazillion of other spd-compatible pedals...
  • 251
 Hope is all about performance and siplicity.
If using a decades old cleat doesn't work for them, I say change it !
Of course this is not the best business decision but what if they released a 200€ pedal that under performed compared to other products ?

It seems to me that a lot of people are using crankbrother pedals in enduro/DH and guess what, they don't have shimano cleats !
  • 40
 That’s right, and also CB cleats don’t last very well at all. It’s all about the feel and the knees.
  • 182
 Why haven't Hope learned that proprietary anything isn't what the general customer wants?! I have a lot of Hope kit on all my bikes because 1) they are great, but just as importantly 2) if something breaks, I can easily get spare parts from most shops.

They have backtracked on their HB bikes rear spacing recently, which was it's own size, despite promising to always stock that hub, so why do they continue down this path?
  • 30
 The Hope rear hub thing was just because a customer got stuck abroad in a distant country with an unusable bike until he got back to the UK. I believe they still think their design was better but admitted that it wasn’t practical for the average user due to this.

It’s not hard/expensive to travel with a spare of cleats in your bag, especially compared to travelling with a spare swing arm. Lol
  • 131
 I'm going to go against the popular take here and say how much I appreciate these. I loved shimano pedals for xc. I tried their trail pedals and found they felt exactly like their xc pedals. I went over to CB to get a pedal that gave a little more platform support and also offered waaaay more traction security in those cases where you try to start riding in a bit of tech and miss a clip-in. It sounds like Hope has found a way to pair the reliability/durability of a shimano-style pedal with the traction and platform contact of the CB pedal. I think that's worth a new cleat if it can truly deliver.
  • 218
 They look like great pedals, but proprietary cleats makes them a complete non starter
  • 22
 Just to add. I commend them for trying to improve things, but although the trail ones would be great on my trail bike, I’m not going out and buying £300 extra worth of pedals for my commuter and singlespeed, or buying multiple sets of shoes...

At the moment I have 2 sets of shoes (winter and summer) and 3 bikes and I can just choose what I want to suit the conditions / circumstances.

I don’t have crank bros pedals for the same reason - convenience. If I had one bike or unlimited money it might be different
  • 100
 Hope build quality and support is generally excellent But shimano pedals are basically immortal. My first set of 520s lasted me about 20 years before I gave them to someone as a new bike came with a new set. They were still perfect.
  • 20
 @Inertiatic: I second the immortality sentiment. I have 25+ year old 636’s that work perfectly. The only pedal I will replace my shimano spd’s with is another pair of shimano spd’s.
  • 20
 @Inertiatic: My mate has the 747s that he bought in 1995 or 1996 and he still uses them on his winter bike. I bought the original Ritchey clipless ones in red at the same time and they lasted about 12 months before the non-replaceable bushing packed up.
Shimano make unreal pedals. I am half tempted by the new Saint or XT flats. Anyone have experience of the old DX flats or other Shimano flats lasting forever?
  • 10
 @jaame: I haven’t owned shimano flats but I have no doubt that they will be as durable as the spd’s. Flats that have loose balls seem to last forever. I have a 25 year old pair of dmr v8’s that work beautifully. My newer vaults needed more attention than the v8’s.

I’m currently onto rockbro and scudgood composite pedals from AliExpress. Loose balls and amazing quality. I recently pulled one apart after a year of use (maybe 60km a week, I weigh about 240lb), and they looked perfect. I had expected the composite raceways to suffer from use but they were nicely burnished. They even came with a decent quality red grease which was still nice and clean in there. Over that year of use I have had zero play or issues. I had expected to bend the axles whilst pretending to be Kyle strait but not a hint of it. Well worth the $12usd they cost me.
  • 2311
 What a horrendous business decision to go with proprietary cleats. Basically ruling out a big part of the potential customers.
  • 80
 It's all part of the strategy to be able to supply all actual customers.
  • 41
 It would have been cheaper and easier to go with the SPD standard, but the product would not have been what they wanted.

For a single bike the cleat is no different to any other pedal system

It’s when you have multiple bikes / shoes that it becomes a practical issue
  • 30
 Not convinced by that. There are already enough high-quality Shimano compatible pedals out there. Making yet another one probably won't win over many customers.
  • 124
 Proprietary cleats will rule these out for a lot of people (including myself), shame...
  • 50
 I've ridden Crank Bros Mallet E's exclusively for the last 4 or 5 years and as much as I love the feel and the mechanism the bearing/bushes are pretty poor in UK conditions. Not poor enough to make me change pedals because as I said, no pedal has come close for feel to me. If these Hope pedals are as hard-wearing and lost-lasting as their hubs, BBs, headsets etc then I'd be keen as mustard. The proprietary cleats puts me off a tad but I'd be interested to try them for feel and certainly tempted to run them if it prevented me having to buy a pedal refresh kit from CB every 6 months.
  • 40
 Urgh. Coming from shimano to mallets I wasn’t expecting the rebuild frequency. After six months and three rebuilds, I went back to shimano. It was a shame because I quite liked the feel of the mallets.
  • 10
 @Afterschoolsports: the two are polar opposites in feel and longevity aren’t they? My knees don’t get on with Shimano but I wish they did. I’d still be on 636s probably.
  • 10
 @jaame: yes. I can see how they would play nicely with knees. I could have gotten used to them quite happily I think. I was really disappointed with the service life of them. I just checked and I did do ~3000km during that six months, and it sounds like a lot but it was really just gentle fitness riding on fire roads. I find the durability surprising because they’re clearly the number two pedal clip less manufacturer, it shouldn’t be hard to use a better quality bushing or even bearings in their larger or less weight sensitive pedals.

You might also enjoy time pedals. They had a feeling more closely aligned with cb. I put a couple of thousand km on those before I realised I really did prefer the shimano platform feel with the shoes I was running. No rebuilds necessary. I might pull them out for another try now I’m running a shoe with a stiffer sole.
  • 50
 The pedals look nice but tbh I can’t imagine the experience being better than shimano. I’ve tried everything else from CB to time and lots of smaller brands like nuke proof, ritchey, ht, look, etc. Some have been ok (cb and time in their own ways) but I haven’t yet found one that feels as good or inspires confidence like a shimano pedal. Also their reliability is second to none. I have a couple of pairs of pdm636 that are over 25 years old and still working flawlessly. Only one of those pairs have had a rebuild. Yesterday I picked up a pair of the newer saint spd and xtr trail pedals (for the Mrs), the total came to about $180usd. I know I will be able to throw them on our bikes and have them work beautifully out of the box. I will dial in a bit more tension, but the Mrs likes hers stock. The next time we even notice them will be when a crank needs to be changed or we get new bikes. That’s a pretty hard act to beat.
  • 20
 I think the possible win is the double sprung cages like the 737 pedal had. When the 747 came out all the journalists complained that it was harder to clip into with just the rear cage being sprung.
The 636 with the floating pedal sprung inside the cage was a great idea to make entry easier though, and that has also stood the test of time I think. Are they still using that? I seem to recall the new Saint pedal does not have it actually.
  • 20
 @jaame: I have a pair with the spring cage like the 636’s. It’s got a composite body. I think it’s a DX pedal. 647 maybe? Anyway it’s still a nice design to use and I have probably 10,000km on it. I just grabbed the saints to try out because the price was so low. If I don’t like them I will sell them.
  • 20
 @jaame: 737's were so damn good!
  • 20
 Time pedals have one huge advantage - the free horizontal (left-right from the cranks arm) movement while clipped in. This enables the foot to find the best/natural position while riding the bike - which is essential for people with "sensitive" knees. With Shimano pedals horizontal position is defined while screwing the cleats to the shoes - which can be hit or miss.
  • 20
 @drib: I agree. I ran the times in the 90’s and didn’t like them. I liked them better recently but I had the pedals without the platform so I think I was missing the extra support of the platform. I will pull them out to try them again soon. I would probably recommend them before crank brothers anyway. They didn’t need any attention of a couple of thousand km, the action was quite good.
  • 50
 The larger cleat makes sense.
I ride flats as I dont like the feeling of being on a floaty 50p when clipped in.
Then on the road bike the big cleats feel great, why cant I just have a lower profile version, double sided road pedal to try Smile

Probably still end up on flats as they are just more fun, and I ride for the fun of it.
  • 10
 Agreed. I’d like to try them on my trail bike
  • 10
 Spot on Betsie. I use flats 80% of the time. I’m convinced mallets are better for racing, but flats are just more convenient and more fun.
  • 50
 Duh, hello?! You just need quick release cleats. Just swap the cleats to suit the pedals on the chosen bike!
I can think of no weakness in this plan, absolutely no reason why this isn't a good idea...
  • 84
 The Shimano SPD patent has expired so there is no reason for proprietary cleats. I have three pair of shoes with SPD-cleats and three bikes with SPD-pedals, I ain't gonna buy 3 pairs of pedals...
  • 50
 This is not important, but I think the white graphics were not needed, except for the brand in the middle. It blurs the CNC shapes of the pedal.
  • 20
 or maybe just in smaller quantity.
  • 40
 I agree. All the laser marking hope do looks pretty dated and I think takes away from the aesthetic value of their products. The calipers, levers, and cranks all suffer from it. Some stuff like the hubs are a bit more restrained. I think it makes them much prettier.
  • 73
 Goddamn their proprietary cleats, why couldn't they just go with the standard Shimano, Crankbrothers, HT, Look or Time cleats...
  • 60
 100% wouldn't buy them if they used CB cleats! Total rip off, wear quickly and eject when slightly worn..no thanks.
  • 181
 So why is it ok for Crank brothers, HT, time etc all to have thier own proprietary cleats but not Hope?
  • 20
 @maglor: I don’t think it’s an issue per se for a given bike. If you have more than one bike it becomes an issue. I don’t use crank bros etc for the same reason.

I’d hope made a cheap pedal for my commuter the same as I can get from Shimano...
  • 41
 What's the obsession with Shimano cleats. Hope are certainly not the only ones who do their own clear design. I have one pair of cycling shoes, one bike and one set of pedals. Makes total sense to me.
  • 11
 If I was the same circumstances I would definitely be interested as the concept of the pedal sounds great. But I have more than one bike and I prefer the flexibility of use shimano provides. A lot of people seem to be in a similar situation
  • 20
 @Inertiatic: At the same time there are so many people who won't be bothered and will embrace their product. I would certainly buy it when I'm due another set of pedals. Good on Hope for going your own way.
  • 31
 Look cool...Hope quality...I don't get the hype of Crank Brothers. I've tried them but they are not perfect.i moved to Time Speciale 8s which are mint for me...figures why Sram bought them. Hopes look similar...keen to try them
  • 30
 While at first I was against them due to the proprietary cleats, I’m now liking the idea if the reviews for these are good/better than the Shimano equivalent then I’ll probably get them.
  • 10
 I bet the Shimano cleat will clip in anyways. Shame all the R and D and factory costs are in the Hope prices, when compared to others. Look at the frames, made to be something special, cost was horrendous, then bike geometry changed faster than the tooling and look dated. These for sure will be well designed, built and bullet proof but I would be crying the first rock I caught after paying that much.
  • 10
 So if you have pins sticking up that engage your shoes how the heck do you rotate them enough to release from the pedal? Seems like an either/or situation to me. Might as well go back to a toe clip and strap if you want to be in a non-releasable situation.
  • 10
 Could not care less about what cleats they use, if they have 4 degrees of float and I can get my foot out in a crash, I'm happy. I have no mobility in my left ankle, so I had to give up on CB pedals, also CB quality is shite. Could of course try Shimano SPD, but I'm hesistant about Shimano pedals after blowing the bearings on two sets of Saint pedals in a very short time. Hope has always been good to me, I use many of their products, and they are by far some of the best when it comes to reliability.
  • 21
 I love how HOPE have spend energy and resources to test, research and develop a clipped pedal, from scratch, but still keyboard warriors think they know better. And the same people are saying CB pedals are good as well! isnt the internet a wonderful place....
  • 51
 I hope they don't release something without floating the idea first.
  • 20
 I think its funny how all these companies are pushing their products but you cant buy them. Everything is coming soon or next year.
  • 11
 These look more akin to SPD than to say Crankbrothers. Color me impressed, but given my frustated track record with SPDs I'm hesistant to try these given their seeming similarity of design. I wish they would have offered cross compatibility between SPD and Crankbros. Only serious roadies that occasionally MTB ride TIME.
  • 11
 I've been using SPDs since 1996; I still have the pair of M535s I started with...granted they are in a bin but I did use them with no issues just a few years ago. The biggest thing is that while riding, I never think about my pedals, which means they work for me. I've tried CB, but didn't like them (probably too much time on SPDs). I see no need to change pedal systems when what I have used for 25 years just works.
  • 11
 While unique cleats aren't new (afterall crankbrothers and time atac's had completely different cleats to SPDs) and neither is having both plates spring loaded (again, ATACs and original Shimano PD-M737s did that) what is unique is for a brand like Hope, which has a history of inventing stuff that isn't adopted by others and then abandoning it... would think "hey let's go proprietary again and hope nobody has long memories". Most other brands learn that mistake and don't repeat it again... but not Hope... they repeat the same stupidity over and over and keep expecting a different result.
  • 10
 Huh. The mechanism reminds me of Shimano 858. There were some issues with the fact that the toe portion of the binding articulated with the release mechanism. Interested on how Hope solved this.
  • 30
 Any side profile pics available?
  • 41
 Now all they need is to make their flat pedals decent!
  • 52
 Apart from the pins being below average in terms of grip, I know people with 5 years on hope pedals without even opening them up for a re-grease.

What have you found so bad about them?
  • 90
 @justanotherusername: i think you've answered your own question: 'below average in terms of grip'
  • 50
 @justanotherusername: Longevity is excellent as expected with anything Hope, but the shape is the real issue, I would choose grip over longevity any day.
  • 10
 @low-n-slow: fair point - you can get pedals that do both well too.

Hope must see it as a non issue as redesigning a pin for them isn’t any effort at all.
  • 10
 @justanotherusername: I've got them when they were released (2012 I think) and I opened them up for a regrease a year ago... the grease looked as clean as out of my tube so I did nothing and put it back together. Didn't even bother opening up the other one. They also had multiple hard rock strikes that bent cranks and left pretty deep scrapes but nothing. The grip is not world class, though... but with long pins (standard by now) and the pins from the centre removed the grip is not an issue. But I hope they release a slightly bigger, double concave version...
  • 10
 I was pretty disappointed to read that most of them ride clipped in. Are they all racing seriously? At any rate, there’s your answer on their flat pedal.
  • 20
 Look good, but very pricey. MTB stuff has followed road bike business and pricing model too much now.
  • 21
 Longevity is excellent as expected with anything Hope, but the shape is the real issue, I would choose grip over longevity any day.
  • 12
 Was hoping this article would follow the logical trend (which had included PB articles) of referring to ‘clip in’ pedals rather than the archaic ‘clipless’. Oh well. At least the comments, as always, pointed out that HTs are a great option if you have the usual complaints about Shimano and CB.
  • 10
 Is it just me or is the pedal very narrow? I feel like you'd be rubbing your crank arm raw pretty quick. Especially on the gravity pedal.
  • 21
 Quality, when my Dx pedals that costs £50 wear out in ten years time (they're already 10 now) , I'll definitely rule out buying these over priced colourful foot planks
  • 30
 yay more blingy pedals that won't be as good as a £30 set of shimano's.
  • 11
 Well we tried to put this square peg into a round hole and found it didn't work, so we created our own proprietary round peg that offers up no real advantage to the most commonly used pegs available.
  • 10
 Very curious to read reviews re: how much better the platform and pins engage shoe compared to other options on the market. Would consider if significantly better
  • 31
 Aren't those HT cleats？
  • 21
 yes.
  • 30
 nope
  • 20
 @ionico: Similar but different
  • 75
 This was my first and last look on Hope pedals due to proprietary cleats.
  • 23
 when you guys get your hands on them please measure the thickness, going from flats to cleats raises my shoes so much i have to lift my saddle by about 20mm, would be nice if that werent the case
  • 30
 But no clip in pedals are 20mm thicker either side than flats. You are almost certainly having to run your seat a different height because you are placing your feet in a different position on the flat pedal (further back) compared to what you do on the clips. So, 3 options, 1) Live with having to adjust your seatpost. 2) Change your flat pedal foot location. 3) Change your cleat position to be further back, maybe needing a dremel as several people have said they do.
  • 10
 You will struggle to avoid that purely because there has to be a mechanism above the pedal body otherwise you would never be able to clip in or out
  • 10
 Look nice. I only run cleats on one of my MTB's so no problem swapping from ATAC to these.
  • 42
 Proprietary cleats = in the CRC sale section within 6 months of release.
  • 21
 I was thinking the same thing..."These are going to be nice and cheap on CRC in a few months"... Smile
  • 20
 happy with my MX2 pedals from time @ £40
  • 20
 One hundred ans sixty pounds
  • 44
 Yep, like everything Hope they're overpriced.
  • 42
 Don’t see a reason to buy these over shimano.
  • 10
 Some lawyer at Unior Pedals (with an R) is just getting to work, looking at his email, and smacking his lips.
  • 31
 Time speciale 8. Best pedal in the game don’t @ me.
  • 11
 Clipless? They do have clips! More than 11 hours have passed since pubication but still no reaction from moderator! Horrendous!
  • 32
 Great to see Hope still producing great products
  • 10
 not enough float need at least 10
  • 57
 The only people buying these will be Hope fanboys, like most other Hope components. I was a fan of their hubs and brakes until numerous failures and bad customer service made me move on.
  • 10
 I have no Hope for these as my Time is just fine.
  • 10
 Is there a rider weight limit on the Union RC Ti axles?
  • 10
 If both pieces move can you unclip hitting rocks a la Crank Brothers?
  • 20
 NOPE
  • 21
 Proprietary clear whiners are idiots
  • 32
 More proprietary trash from Hope.
  • 10
 Looking very similar to a HT mechanism and cleat...
  • 10
 Cleats not not made of brass = WIN!
  • 44
 Oh come on Hope, proprietary cleats, really!?
  • 10
 Well.... Would you rely on Shimano cleats to be in stock these days? So it probably matters not whether they're proprietary or not for a good while, the only place you'll get cleats for them is from Hope anyhow. It also avoids any potential lawsuits over design copying.
  • 34
 Yawn. Just ride flats, none of these issues with cleats and other nonsense.
  • 12
 Literally no one:
Hope: We've released three new clipless pedals with proprietary cleats!!
  • 13
 Haha GC means something very different to me!
  • 21
 Good cocks.
  • 13
 Just call them Clip Pedals !
  • 70
 But they don’t have clips
  • 10
 @Inertiatic:
They have Clipless !?
  • 10
 @TARTARA: they are clipless, yes :-)

Clips (and straps) are very different...
  • 11
 @Inertiatic:
You can't get it !
Never mind, all good !
  • 58
 HopeLess pedals
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